Seven locomotives and six rail cars owned by Metro-North — the arm of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that provides suburban commuter service in New York — suffered $1.7 million in damage that have so far prevented two Bergen County rail lines from returning to full service.

In all, hundreds of pieces of NJ Transit equipment were damaged at the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny after Sandy's surge inundated the yard. NJ Transit's decision to leave the equipment in Kearny and Hoboken rather than move it to higher ground — despite extreme weather warnings — resulted in $100 million in damage to rolling stock, and has drawn heavy criticism from the public and lawmakers here and in Washington.

The $1.7 million figure was included in NJ Transit's earlier estimate of overall damages.

Metro-North deal

Metro-North pays NJ Transit to offer commuter service into Rockland and Orange counties in New York on its Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines, the so-called "West of Hudson" lines that also serve parts of Bergen County including Montvale, Westwood, Emerson, River Edge, Wood-Ridge, Ramsey and Garfield. As part of that agreement, Metro-North provides NJ Transit with 15 locomotives and 65 rail cars to use on those lines.

Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for Metro-North, confirmed Thursday that salt water damaged all electrical components, including brake lines, on the equipment.

"The West of Hudson equipment will be repaired by NJ Transit at an estimated total cost of $1.7 million," she said.

Officials plan to seek reimbursement from FEMA or their insurance policies, she said.

NJ Transit spokeswoman Nancy Snyder said that all seven locomotives and two of the six cars have been repaired, but she did not have details on how many have been placed back in service.

Anders said some express train round-trip service has not yet been restored on both lines.

That's not fast enough for some commuters.

"I'm a New York taxpayer, and I don't think NJ Transit took due care on this," said Orrin Getz, a member of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers who lives in New City, N.Y.

NJ Transit Executive Director Jim Weinstein has said the agency relied on storm models that indicated a 10 percent to 20 percent chance of flooding and that the Kearny yard had not flooded in its 30-year history.

Governor Christie defended Weinstein and NJ Transit at a press conference Wednesday about federal aid for the Sandy recovery. "I think these guys made the best judgment they could under the circumstances," the governor said.

"If they knew it was going to flood, believe me, Jim Weinstein would have moved the trains," Christie said.

"Sometimes people make wrong decisions, it happens. It's not a hanging offense."

'Terrific partner'

There were 261 rail cars and 62 locomotives, mostly owned by NJ Transit, damaged when the Hoboken and Kearny yards flooded.